Ponoka County Council Elects McLauchlin as Reeve, Freezes Pay Rates
Paul McLauchlin was declared Reeve of Ponoka County for the 2025-26 term after being nominated by Councillor Mark Matejka at the council’s organizational meeting on Tuesday. The election was unanimous.
Following the vote, Councillor Matejka was acclaimed as Deputy Reeve. Both took their oaths of office and assumed their new roles immediately.
Why It Matters
The leadership duo of McLauchlin and Matejka will set the council's direction for the next year. Their first major financial decision was a vote to freeze their own compensation, keeping taxpayer costs for council pay at 2024-25 levels. All decisions at the 45-minute meeting were passed unanimously.
The Debate
There was no public debate on any item. Before electing the Reeve, council voted to conduct all votes by secret ballot and to destroy the ballots immediately after each vote.
No members of the public spoke at the meeting.
Councillor Pay Frozen
Council voted to keep all compensation rates the same for the 2025-26 term. The rates will be reviewed again at year-end.
* Per diems: $300
* Daily subsistence: $300
* Mileage: $0.65 per km
* Minimum monthly payment: $4,000 (covers 5 meetings)
The Reeve will continue to receive an additional $450 per month for extra duties. Subsistence and mileage are paid on top of the minimum payment.
Key Appointments Made
Council spent a significant portion of the meeting appointing councillors to various boards and committees. All appointments were carried unanimously.
* Agricultural Service Board: Councillor Bryce Liddle will serve as chairman, with Councillor Nancy Hartford as vice-chairman. The entire council will sit on the board.
* Family & Community Support Services (FCSS): Councillor Matejka will represent the county on the Ponoka FCSS board, with Councillor Hartford on the Rimbey FCSS board.
* Rimoka Foundation: Councillors Doug Weir and Nancy Hartford were appointed as the county’s representatives.
* Health Committees: Councillor Hartford will represent the county on the Rural Health Professions Action Plan Committee. Councillor Liddle will sit on the Ponoka Doctor Attraction and Retention Committee.
* Municipal Planning Commission: Councillors Matejka, Hartford, and Liddle were appointed, with Matejka serving as chairman.
Numerous other appointments were made to inter-municipal committees, safety services committees, and regional boards.
Other Business
* New Fee Schedule: Council approved a new county fee schedule that will take effect on January 1, 2026. Details of the specific fee changes were not included in the minutes.
* Meeting Dates: Council confirmed its regular meeting schedule will remain the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, starting at 10:00 a.m.
What's Next
The new leadership and committee appointments are effective immediately. The new fee schedule will be implemented on January 1, 2026. The next regular council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 11, 2025.